Confucianism, Buddhism affect Chinese art
Dear friends,
The other two main influences on Chinese art, besides Lao Tse, are Confucianism and Buddhism.
Confucius (551-479 B.C.) took an entirely different attitude towards the chaotic world of that time. Unlike the withdrawing scholars, he advocated and himself took an active part in the service of his country, constantly seeking ways to serve China.
No teachings have influenced China's culture more than those of Confucius. They became texts for study. They are reflected on tomb sculptures and monuments, and in paintings from all periods. They governed China's mores down to the twentieth century.
He placed his emphasis on high ethical standards, with duty the path to a harmonious life. A strict, well-defined code governed man's own conduct, his relationship to his family and ancestors, to other individuals, and to his sovereign. Sincerity in thought and in action was stressed; this could be achieved only through education and knowledge.
Confucius, of course, worshiped the sages of old, and he edited the classics and poetry of ancient times. He made a study of rites and music. In his school, art had a dual purpose, to develop men of culture and high moral standards, whose tastes in aesthetic appreciation would be refined, but equally to illustrate the need for order and harmony in life. His devotion to the ways of the past produced a formalism which permeated all facets of life, and which governed, too, the arts of painting and calligraphy. In accordance with the spirit of the Confucian school, beginners are to follow established rules. A tyro, of course, will not lose his way, for he his definite rules to guide him, but it is not a climate which fosters a search for originality.
When in the reign of the Eastern Han Ming Ti (58-75 A.D), Buddhism was introduced into China, with it came Buddhist art, painting and sculpture. During the Southern and Northern dynasties (3rd-6th century), since the new religion offered comfort in reincarnation, it was welcomed by the mass of people who were suffering in the constant wars between the states. The religious images at the temples and the rock caves, as at Tun Hwang, Yun Kang and Lung Men, greatly influenced Chinese art, which during the succeeding 600 years stressed Buddhist principles.
However, the most significant influence on the future development of Chinese art, perhaps, was the establishment in the 7th century of Ch'an Tsung (called Zen by the Japanese), which, in fact, is a form of Chinese Buddhism. The special characteristic of this Buddhist sect is the emphasis on sudden enlightenment, or inspiration, something which is quite beyond explanation and cannot be put into words. Many artists and scholars became followers of Chinese Buddhism.
In On Ch'an, Many experts discussed the basic philosophy of Ch'an; one said: "The slogan of Ch'an is: A discipline outside the Buddhist faith, without scriptures of an kind, concentration on one's heart, discovering one's character and reaching the goal of Ch'an." Thus, through the mind's eye one can clearly perceive one's heart and soul -- this is the path to enlightenment.
The Ch'an practice, through intuition and search for man's nature and soul, greatly influenced the development of Chinese philosophy and art. The famous philosophers of the Sung period (10th-13th cent.) were mostly influenced by the Ch'an approach, such as Liang Kai (early 13th Century), and were masters of the Ch'an school. Both Ba Da Shan Jen and Shih T'ao were believers in Ch'an Tsung (see Figs. 101)
The Ch'an school of art is marked by the following features: a. Black is the predominant color. b. Extremely simple strokes are employed. c. The expression of the work, whether it be a landscape or a still life lies beyond the mere rendering of the form. In other words, it should be contemplative rather than decorative in order to reflect intuition.
-- Kwo Da-Wei